Dimming of the Day

45 It was reported that a dog at Mannheim, named Rolf, was credited with answering theological questions and doing little sums correctly, having originally been discovered helping the children with their maths homework. At Lord’s caution prevailed, Warner declining to set a reasonable target, and Yorkshire, left to make 271 in 140 minutes, declined the invitation. Surrey started a new game, against Essex at Leyton (before a crowd of 6,000): Essex were all out for 309. 15 June was a considerable day for batting – Tarrant became the first to reach 1,000 runs for the season in the course of an innings of 198, Middlesex scoring 427-2 against Lancashire at Lord’s. Surrey scored 381 to take a lead against Essex – Hobbs made 215*, taking 22 off an over from Tremlin. Crowther Charlesworth, the Warwickshire professional, made 206 out of a total of 353-6 against Yorkshire. The teams were announced for the match between the Royal Navy and the Army, which would begin at Lord’s on 25 June as part of the centenary celebrations. On 16 May Middlesex roared on to 501-3 before declaring – J.W.Hearne’s 204 saw him the second man to reach 1,000 for the season. In reply Lancashire scored 238 and, following on, 32-1. At Leyton, Hitch and Rushby bowled Essex out for 197 and Surrey won by seven wickets. Lord Harris wrote to The Times to say that there was nothing wrong with the game and no need therefore to do anything about the LBW law or to worry about the county finances. England beat America at polo in the second “test”, having already won the first. The English team were all officers, the Americans were just millionaires. On 17 June the National Union of Railwaymen, meeting at Swansea, adopted a programme demanding an eight-hour-day and an all-round increase of five shillings a week. There was some criticism from the membership, but that was for not including a demand for a minimum wage of 30 shillings a week. They were also to approve the formation of the Triple Alliance with the Miners’ Federation and the Transport Workers’ Federation. The Times was shocked to discover that some of the speakers in the debate appeared to be Socialists. Interestingly, though, the paper was inclined to back the marine engineers in another ongoing strike, remarking that for such skilled men the demands were on the low side. At Lord’s Middlesex were unable to force victory against Lancashire as they batted through for 397-7, Jack Sharp 128 and Ernest Tyldesley 94. Oxford University beat G.J.V.Weigall’s XI by an innings: Bill Ashdown, a Kent stalwart for years after the war, made his first-class debut for Weigall’s XI at the age of 15. He was to appear in a festival match at Harrogate in 1947, the only player to straddle both wars. Westminster drew with Radley, W.G.Le Doux Veitch making 118 for June 1914